Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles 30-06, am I crazy? Dad was right!

Your dad was 100% correct. And he could have easily said a 375H&H too, if other continents were involved, but the point he makes is not relevant to any gun lover. If you love hunting and the gun is just a tool for that purpose, I could not agree with him more. But if you are also a gun lover one gun regardless of caliber will be like a food connoisseur being told that all he ever needs to eat is chef's salad.

We want, therefor we need.

Slaves are allowed what they need.
Free men buy what they want.

I like guns more then I like cartridges I guess. I have learned in my 52 years of hunting in various states and countries and in hunting a large number of game animals of various sizes and weights, that what you shoot is less important then how well you shoot.
A rifle you LIKE is one you shoot for fun. Shooting for fun has a tendency to make you into a better marksman. Better marksmanship is the most weighty factor in success.

Generally I like powerful rifles, but I don't need real powerful rifles for any game under 2500 pounds. I just like them. I do have a 6.5X54 Mann/Scho (not much more power then a 30-30) that I intend to kill elk with this year. Why? Because I like it, and I shoot it well.

Bullets are more important then cartridge cases. Accuracy and penetration with enough cavitation is what we need.
The shape of the powder bottle is not as important as many seem to think.

But............ you're Dad was right if we look at "need".

I've taken truck loads of deer with various .30-06's, followed by the .270 and .308. I have taken them with a lot of various other cartridges too but, keep coming back to these 3.

It gives the 'kiddies' a way to piss off their $$$$$$$$$!!

I have said this here before. My uncle was a career Air Force guy and killed nearly all of North America's big game with a Remington 760 30-06 and 4x scope. I remember my last real conversation I had with him and he said he had no regrets and never felt the need for others...

My dad is similar and while I have other rifles, my go to rifle for moose hunting is a 30-06 with a Leupold 1.5-5 on it. I think the longest distance I ever shot a moose at was about 200yds.

Nothing wrong with the venerable old 30-06. I still have one. But my do-all rifle would probably be my 7mm-08. Of course I dont have just 1 rifle, heck I have 7 or 8 .22's, I think I may have a "condition" LOL

...because he is either broke and desperate or has all his priorities screwed up!

I see you're a half glass full kind of fella ....

There is no doubt a guy can do it all with one really nice rifle.

That said, I decided to go the 2-gun, big game route.

1 .308 and 1 .300WM.

Both Tikka T3s, and both in McMillan stocks. Both have good glass in Talley lightweights.


There is always a desire to "put together just one more" but really there is no real reason.

Truth be told the .300 Win Mag is only for late season elk when the ranges get extended.

Otherwise, I really could do everything with my little lightweight .308. That rifle makes me smile.

I usually agree whole heartedly with your posts...but this is just crazy talk....

My wife would agree w/MacKay.....but what does she know ?
DON'T tell her what I said.

Jerry